in Zoology. See CANIS, MAMMALIA Index.

The fox is a great nuisance to the husbandman, by taking away and destroying his lambs, geese, poultry, &c. The common way to catch him is by gin; which being baited, and a train made by drawing raw flesh across in his usual paths or haunts to the gin, it proves an inducement to bring him to the place of destruction.

The fox is also a beast of chase, and is taken with greyhounds, terriers, &c. See HUNTING.

Fox, John, the martyrologist, was born at Boston in Lincolshire in the year 1517. At the age of 16 he was entered a student of Brazen-Nose college in Oxford; and in 1543 he proceeded master of arts, and was chosen fellow of Magdalen college. He discovered an early genius for poetry, and wrote several Latin comedies, the subjects taken from Scripture, which his son affirms were written in an elegant style. Forfaking the mules, he now applied himself with uncommon assiduity to the study of divinity, particularly church-history; and, discovering a premature propensity to the doctrine of reformation, he was expelled the college as an heretic. His distress on this occasion was very great; but it was not long before he found an asylum in the house of Sir Thomas Lucy of Warwickshire, who employed him as a tutor to his children. Here he married the daughter of a citizen of Coventry. Sir Thomas's children being now grown up, after residing a short time with his wife's father, he came to London; where finding no immediate means of subsistence, he was reduced to the utmost degree of want; but was at length length (as his son relates) miraculously relieved in the following manner: As he was one day sitting in St Paul's church, emaciated with hunger, a stranger accosted him familiarly, and, bidding him be of good cheer, put a sum of money into his hand; telling him at the same time, that in a few days new hopes were at hand. He was soon after taken into the family of the duchess of Richmond, as tutor to the earl of Surrey's children, who, when their father was sent to the Tower, were committed to her care. In this family he lived, at Rye gate in Surrey, during the latter part of the reign of Henry VIII., the entire reign of Edward VI., and part of that of Queen Mary: but at length, persecuted by his implacable enemy Bishop Gardiner, he was obliged to seek refuge abroad. Basil in Switzerland was the place of his retreat, where he subsisted by correcting for the press. On the death of Queen Mary he returned to England; where he was graciously received by his former pupil the duke of Norfolk, who retained him in his family as long as he lived, and bequeathed him a pension at his death. Mr Secretary Cecil also obtained for him the rectory of Shipton near Salisbury; and we are assured that he might have had considerable church preferment, had it not been for his unwillingness to subscribe to the canons. He died in the year 1587, in the 70th year of his age; and was buried in the chancel of St Giles's, Cripplegate. He was a man of great industry, and considerable learning; a zealous, but not a violent reformer; a nonconformist, but not an enemy to the church of England. He left two sons; one of whom was bred a divine, the other a physician. He wrote many pieces; but his principal work is, the Acts and Monuments of the Church, &c. commonly called Fox's Book of Martyrs. His acts are not always to be depended on, and he often loses his temper; which, considering the subject, is not much to be wondered at.

Fox, George, the founder of the sect of English Quakers, was a flaxworker in Nottingham. The accounts of those times tell us, that as he wrought at his trade, he used to meditate much on the Scriptures; which, with his solitary course of life, improving his natural melancholy, he began at length to fancy himself inspired; and in consequence thereof set up for a preacher.

He proposed but few articles of faith; insisting chiefly on moral virtue, mutual charity, the love of God, and a deep attention to the inward motions and secret operations of the Spirit; he required a plain simple worship, and a religion without ceremonies, making it a principal point to wait in profound silence the directions of the Holy Spirit. Fox met with much rough treatment for his zeal, was often imprisoned, and several times in danger of being knocked on the head. But all discouragements notwithstanding, his sect prevailed much, and many considerable men were drawn over to them; among whom were Barclay and Penn. He died in 1681. His followers were called Quakers, in derision of some unusual shakings and convulsions with which they were seized at their first meetings. See Quakers.

Fox-Glove. See Digitalis, Botany and Materia Medica Index.

Fox-Islands, the name of a group of islands, 16 in Fox-islands number, situated between the eastern coast of Kamchatka and the western coast of the continent of America. Each island has a particular name; but the general name Fox-Islands is given to the whole group, on account of the great number of black, gray, and red foxes with which they abound. The dress of the inhabitants consists of a cap, and a fur coat which reaches down to the knee. Some of them wear common caps of a party-coloured bird skin, upon which they leave part of the wings and tail. On the fore part of their hunting and fishing caps, they place a small board like a skreen, adorned with the jaw bones of sea bears, and ornamented with glass beads, which they receive in barter from the Russians. At their festivals and dancing parties they use a much more showy sort of caps. They feed upon the flesh of all sorts of sea animals, and generally eat it raw. But if at any time they choose to dress their victuals, they make use of a hollow stone; having placed the fish or flesh therein, they cover it with another, and close the interstices with lime or clay. They then lay it horizontally upon two stones, and light a fire under it. The provision intended for keeping is dried without salt in the open air. Their weapons consist of bows, arrows, and darts; and for defence they use wooden shields. The most perfect equality reigns among these islanders. They have neither chiefs nor superiors, neither laws nor punishments. They live together in families, and societies of several families united, which form what they call a race, who, in case of an attack or defense, mutually help and support each other. The inhabitants of the same island always pretend to be of the same race; and every person looks upon his island as a possession, the property of which is common to all the individuals of the same society. Feasts are very common among them, and more particularly when the inhabitants of one island are visited by those of the others. The men of the village meet their guests beating drums, and preceded by the women, who sing and dance. At the conclusion of the dance, the hosts serve up their best provisions, and invite their guests to partake of the feast. They feed their children when very young with the coarsest flesh, and for the most part raw. If an infant cries, the mother immediately carries it to the seaside, and whether it be summer or winter, holds it naked in the water until it is quiet. This custom is so far from doing the children any harm, that it hardens them against the cold, and they accordingly go barefooted through the winter without the least inconvenience. They seldom heat their dwellings; but when they are deprived of warming themselves, they light a bundle of hay, and stand over it; or else they let fire to train-oil, which they pour into a hollow stone. They have a good share of plain natural sense, but are rather slow of understanding. They seem cold and indifferent in most of their actions; but let an injury, or even a suspicion only, rouse them from this phlegmatic state, and they become inflexible and furious, taking the most violent revenge without any regard to the consequences. The least affliction prompts them to suicide; the apprehension of even an uncertain evil often leads them to despair; and